Hello! This is my first Mass Effect story. I do not own any characters in the Mass Effect Universe. Riley Cooper is my O/C. I decided to create Riley as someone different then another Shepard story and I always wondered what the other Alliance soldiers went through when they were in London. This part of the story is based around why the Mako's that had the Thannix Cannon's had no soldiers defending them and I've build it from there. Hope you enjoy it :)
The Girl From Arcturus
London was burning. The once beautiful and iconic city was lost in ash; rubble and a permanent stench of death filled the air. Private Riley Cooper held up her M-8 Avenger and surveyed the dark streets, she followed the platoon of Mako's and the rest of her squad down what use to be Birdcage Walk, to her left were the remains of Buckingham Place she heard her Commander sigh, Dean Hammond was raised in the heart of London,
"I can't wait to shoot more Reaper ass." Hammond hissed angrily through his helmet,
"We'll get them sir." Riley assured,
"No way." Lieutenant Richard Filches held his hand up against his helmet to get a better listen on the incoming signal.
"Report Private."
"Commander Shepard just landed at Command. Holy shit, the Commander took out the AA gun, that will ease some pressure."
There were a few cheers from the people around the platoon,
"The Commander is the difference between winning and loosing this war." Riley muttered,
"Damn right Private but we have a job to play these Thannix Missiles aren't going to take down that giant ass motherfucker."
"Sir, yes, sir." Riley smiled, even in the worst of time Hammond knew what to say even if it was crass.
The platoon continued to make its way through the streets, climbing over the destruction that filled them. Riley was uneasy, she had been fighting in London under Anderson and Coats since they requested her squad from Rio; it was rare that the streets were clear. They were 3 clicks away from the site and the convoy halted to a stop.
"Whoa, whoa. Why have we stopped?" Hammond called out, "Both of you stay here. Don't get into trouble and stay watch." He left to check on the rest of the convoy,
"So you ready Cooper?" Vilchez asked,
"Ready as I'll ever be. You need to shape of Vil you lost 38 to 46 on our last run, your getting sloppy."
"I was testing out a new mod for my Claymore and I don't think any kills your attack drone does should count."
"Ha! Don't be jealous, Bertie has saved you a few times."
"I can't believe you named it." Riley laughed and looked through her scope to ensure they didn't have any company,
"Hey guys, we're blocked in and just waiting on a new route from Command. Take five and refuel we should be on the road by then."
"Yes sir." Vilchez saluted, and holstered his shotgun and took a seat on the floor against the stationary Mako.
"Heard anything else about Shepard Vilchez?" Hammond asked; he wiped some dust of his Viper sniper riffle.
"Nada coms are quiet but I'm sure Shepard has a plan." Vilchez tapped the side of his helmet, "Wait, I hear something but it's clouded in static. I heard 'Citadel', I think Shep is trying to get to the Citadel."
"How the fuck is Shepard going to do that?" Hammond cursed,
"If there is a will there is a way." Riley added,
"Shep's a legend. I think we are going win." Vilchez smiled,
"Cool it Private if we don't blow up that thing decimating our squads-" Hammond was cut off by a scream that made blood run cold,
"Banshees!" Vilchez screamed, cannibals and marauders overwhelmed the platoon. Riley took cover behind waist height rumble and began to methodically pick off enemies with her Avenger; she deployed Bertie who immediately zoomed off to attack a nearby marauder at close quarters. Vilchez was a few meters in front taking down cannibals easily with his super powered shotgun while Hammond lay prone on top of the Mako with his Viper.
"Push forward soldiers!" he yelled, Riley ran low shooting a cannibal in one of its beady eyes and rolled into cover next to Vilchez,
"Take out that shield." Vilchez ducked as shots from the marauders missed his head, Riley popped out from cover to use an energy drain. "I'm taking it down." Vilchez jumped over the cover and charged the enemy shooting it twice with his shotgun,
"Eat it you motherfucker!" Vilchez spat at the splattered cannibal body,
"Watch it Vil!" Riley screamed, she delivered two rounds to a body of another cannibal in arms reach of Vilchez, who quickly rolled into nearby cover. Riley hit the cannibal with a heavy incinerate before it managed to fire any shots at her squad mate,
"I owe you one!" Vilchez called out in between shots,
"You owe me more than one." Riley retorted, she went to reload her rifle when she was forced helmet first into the rubble, she lost grip on her riffle and was sent crashing hard to the ground, she scrambled for her gun when she spotted at the corner of her eye a grey figure standing over her and before she had time to react the husk clawed at her face, it's fingers breaching through the gap in her helmet, she struggled under the weight trying to avoid its sharp teeth. Riley had accepted that she wasn't going to make it out of London alive but she hoped its wouldn't be by a husk, she looked into its lifeless blue eyes and had delivered a punch to the side of its head but it didn't do any damage, she moved both of her hands to its face trying to put as much distance between her and the husk when the husks head exploded into mushy grey goo onto her armor and onto her visor, the lifeless body collapsed onto her. She wiped the goo of her visor and exhaled, that was close, she thought, Hammond pulled the husk by the arm off Riley and extended a hand to help her up,
"C'mon we need to get out of here!" He handed her the riffle and pulled her back into cover, "We are being overrun, we're going to retreat to that building," he pointed to a large building over the other side of the road which was about 2 clicks away, "We should be able to hold them off in that position before another squad backs us up. We lost more than half of our squad. Get Vilchez and meet me back here, I'll cover you."
Riley nodded and reloaded her riffle; she jumped over the cover and bolted to Vilchez, who was struggling to hold of a banshee,
"Vil we getting out of here." Riley screamed, she unloaded a full round on the banshee but it seemed to do no damage as it turned its attention to them,
"Shit we need to go Vil!" Riley screamed it him again while continuing to shoot another three rounds and hit the banshee with an overload. The Banshee gave another ear popping scream and continued to come closer,
"Get out of here Coop! I will hold it off." Vil pushed her with his right hand before shooting another round with his shotgun,
"I'm not leaving you!" She screamed out, she shot her last round before switching to her Phlanax pistol. The Banshee was in reaching distance,
"GO! NOW!" Vilchez screamed at her and pushed her away, Riley panicked and froze, and she couldn't leave him to die. Vilchez threw her his beloved shotgun and grabbed an inferno grenade in each hand,
"RILEY GET OUT OF HERE!" Vilchez screamed at her again, and turned and gave her one last smile and run out of cover to the banshee who grabbed him as if he were made of foam. Riley's world was in slow motion, she watched as the banshee squealed again and pushed it's long clawed hand easily through Vilchez's heavy armor, in his dying breath he let the inferno grenades explode taking down both himself and the banshee,
"RILEY!" Hammond ran over to her shooting off enemies with his Canifex, he grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her across the fire to the building,
"RILEY! GET UP SOLDIER! I NEED YOU!" Hammond screamed again, Riley shook her head and holstered Vilchez's shotgun and began shooting with her pistol,
"Over here!" Hammond tried to open the building door but it was locked tight we, "Hold 'em off and I'll open the door." Riley deployed a sentry turret to help Hammond hold off the enemies while she decrypted the door,
"How long soldier?" Hammond called over his shoulder,
"It's open." She called back, Hammond pushed her inside and killed two incoming husks, Riley locked the door behind them and they paused to take a break,
"I can't believe V-" Riley started, tears began to form in her eyes,
"Riley I need you to start focused. Vilchez would want you to continue on and make sure you don't get yourself killed." Hammond put his hand supportively on her shoulder. "He was a good soldier and we won't forget about his sacrifice."
"Is it the same dream?" Admiral Hackett sat on the opposite side of the desk and put down the holopad,
"It's not a dream sir. Its more reliving London." Private Riley Cooper sat with her arms in her lap and back straight,
"Will this affect your transfer? You've been requested for this mission. Should I tell the Commander to leave as scheduled and I extend your shore leave?"
"No sir."
"Good. Your young but a damn good soldier and a heck of an engineer. You're needed on this mission. I would have been disappointed to tell the Commander you won't be joining the squad." Hackett grabbed the holopad and typed up the transfer, "Did you hear they are starting to rebuild Arcturus?"
"Yes sir. I saw it on the Alliance Network, hopefully it will live up to the original."
"I'm sure they will improve on its design. Will you go back once it's complete."
"I'm not sure sir. I saw Arcturus, my home destroyed by the reapers. It would be hard to see a copy."
"Fair enough. All your transfers are approved. Report to the docking bay at 15:00 hours."